Overall readiness score
A single 0–100 score and one of five maturity levels, so you know exactly where your business stands today.
AI readiness · built for 1–500 person businesses
AI Readiness Assessment for SMEs
Find out where your business stands and what to do next.
Most SMEs buy AI tools before fixing the foundations. Readiness scores your maturity across six dimensions, then gives you a costed, sequenced plan you can act on this quarter.
Trusted by teams like
NFNorthgate Facilities Ltd
BCBrightpath Clinical Group
H&Halloway & Finch
CICoastline Interiors
We finally had a plan we could present to the board instead of another vague AI pitch.
The ROI model alone justified the tool shortlist and saved us weeks of debate.
Free first assessment. No credit card required.
- 30
- questions
- 6
- dimensions
- 18mo
- roadmap
Readiness is an AI readiness assessment and AI maturity assessment built for SMEs. Our AI readiness assessment evaluates strategy, data, technology, skills, processes and governance to deliver a clear AI maturity score and a prioritized roadmap. The integrated AI tools evaluation matches your weakest dimensions to practical software, so you know exactly what to buy — and what to fix first. Create a free account to unlock your personalized results, scored recommendations and step-by-step AI adoption roadmap.
What's included
What's included in your AI readiness score
Every free assessment gives you these outputs, calculated from your answers, with no sales call and no credit card required.
Six-dimension breakdown
Scores for strategy, data, technology, skills, processes and governance — with your weakest dimension flagged first.
Sector benchmark comparison
See how you compare to UK SME and sector-specific planning reference points for your industry.
Matched AI tool recommendations
A ranked shortlist of practical software matched to your weakest dimensions, headcount and sector.
18-month adoption roadmap
Three horizons of sequenced initiatives, each with effort, impact and the dimension it improves.
Interactive ROI calculator
Model hours saved, annual savings, payback period and three-year net benefit before you spend anything.
Six Dimensions
Six dimensions of AI readiness (AI maturity assessment)
Strategy & Leadership in AI Readiness
Whether AI is tied to business goals with visible ownership and budget.
Start Your Free AI Readiness Assessment
Your score here shapes the tools and roadmap we recommend.
Data Readiness
How accessible, clean and joined-up your operational data is.
Start Your Free AI Readiness Assessment
Your score here shapes the tools and roadmap we recommend.
Technology & Infrastructure
The systems, integrations and tooling AI would need to run on.
Start Your Free AI Readiness Assessment
Your score here shapes the tools and roadmap we recommend.
Skills & Culture
Confidence, literacy and appetite for AI across the team.
Start Your Free AI Readiness Assessment
Your score here shapes the tools and roadmap we recommend.
Processes & Automation
How well documented and automatable your day-to-day work is.
Start Your Free AI Readiness Assessment
Your score here shapes the tools and roadmap we recommend.
Governance & Risk
Policy, security and oversight for safe, compliant AI use.
Start Your Free AI Readiness Assessment
Your score here shapes the tools and roadmap we recommend.
Explore each dimension
What good looks like, and what a score move is worth
A named owner, a budget line and AI tied to a business goal you already track.
- ↓Score 30: pilots start and stall because nobody owns the outcome.
- ↑Score 70: every initiative has a target metric and a sponsor.
Moving strategy from 30 to 60 typically pulls your overall score up by 5 points and unlocks the sequencing advice in your roadmap.
Score this dimension freeTypical scores
UK SME average40
Top quartile62
Indicative UK SME planning reference points, not a statistical survey.
Live preview
Estimate your readiness in 30 seconds
Drag each dimension to roughly where you think you are. The real assessment scores it properly with 30 questions.
50
Adopting
estimated maturity
Dimensions adjusted0/6
50
50
50
50
50
50
Weakest right now: Strategy & Leadership in AI Readiness — that's where your roadmap would start.
Get your real scoreScores and Outputs
What you get
From Score to a Signed-Off AI Adoption Plan
AI maturity scoring
Thirty questions across six dimensions produce a 0–100 readiness score and a reusable maturity level, benchmarked consistently every time you re-run it.
- Score in ~10 minutes
- Benchmark against sector peers
- Re-test quarterly to track progress
Tool recommendations
A matching engine ranks a curated catalogue of AI tools against your weakest dimensions, your industry and your headcount.
- 3–5 matched tools per gap
- Filtered by headcount and budget
- Direct links to free trials
ROI calculator
Model hours saved, annual savings, payback period and three-year net benefit before you commit to any subscription.
- Typical SME range: £12k–£48k annual savings
- 3–6 month time-to-value
- 1, 2 and 3-year net benefit view
Adoption roadmap
Three horizons of prioritised initiatives with effort and impact, generated from the gaps in your own results.
- 18-month sequenced plan
- Effort/impact scoring per initiative
- Owner-ready action cards
Sample outcomes
What a typical SME sees in 90 days
These are real ranges from anonymised Readiness assessments across 10–100 person businesses.
- £12k–£48k
- Annual savings range
- 3–6 months
- Typical payback period
- 20–35%
- Admin time reduction
- 8–12 hrs/wk
- Leadership time reclaimed
Report preview
A report you can share with your board
Every paid report includes an executive summary, maturity score, tool shortlist, ROI model and an 18-month roadmap in a single PDF.
Northgate Facilities Ltd — Sample Report
PDF · 8 sections · 12 pages
ROI teaser
What could automation be worth to you?
Move the sliders to model one repetitive process. The full calculator inside your account models several, using your real assessment results.
£15,456
estimated annual savings
5
6 hrs
£28/hr
40%
£120/mo
Hours saved / year
552
Net first-year benefit
£12,516
Payback
1.3 months
Three-year net
£40,548
Get a PDF ROI report
Assumes £1,500 implementation and 46 working weeks. Finish the assessment to generate a branded PDF with your own numbers.
Sample report
A sample anonymised report
See exactly what the full £49 report looks like before you buy. This worked example is built for a fictional 30-person facilities business — same structure, same depth as the report generated from your own answers.
Sample report
See a full report before you buy
A worked example for Northgate Facilities Ltd, a fictional 30-person business — same structure, same depth as the report generated from your own answers.
- AI readiness score
- 61/100
- Maturity level
- Adopting
- Top weakness
- Processes & Automation
- Potential annual savings
- £16,400
Recommended tools
Microsoft Copilot
Power Automate
Fireflies.ai
90-day goals
- — Deploy meeting summaries
- — Automate CRM updates
- — Train managers on AI usage
The scale
Five levels of maturity
- 0+UnawareAI is not yet on the agenda. The priority is building basic awareness and tidying foundations before any tooling.
- 25+ExploringCuriosity exists and a few people are experimenting. The priority is turning scattered activity into a deliberate plan.
- 45+AdoptingAI is delivering value in pockets. The priority is standardising what works and closing your weakest foundation.
- 65+ScalingAI is embedded in several workflows. The priority is governance, measurement and repeatable rollout.
- 82+TransformingAI is part of how the business operates. The priority is compounding advantage and managing risk at scale.
Methodology
How scoring works
Transparent scoring, equal weighting and sector-aware benchmarks so you can trust the number and act on the plan.
How scoring works
A simple, transparent 0–100 scale
The assessment asks 30 multiple-choice questions across 6 dimensions. Each answer maps to a score of 0, 33, 67 or 100. We average the answers within each dimension to produce a dimension score, then average the six dimension scores to give your overall AI readiness score.
- —Strategy: 5 questions
- —Data: 5 questions
- —Technology: 5 questions
- —Skills: 5 questions
- —Processes: 5 questions
- —Governance: 5 questions
Weighting methodology
Equal weight, no hidden bias
Every dimension contributes equally to your overall score. Within a dimension, every question carries the same weight. We do not apply secret weighting or penalty multipliers, so your result reflects a balanced view of strategy, data, technology, skills, processes and governance.
Overall score = average of all 6 dimension scores
Dimension score = average of its 5 question scores
Assessment framework
Built for SME adoption reality
The framework is designed around what actually determines whether an SME can adopt AI successfully: clear goals, usable data, integrated technology, capable people, repeatable processes and sensible risk controls. Each dimension is scored independently so your roadmap can target the weakest foundations first.
0+
Unaware
25+
Exploring
45+
Adopting
65+
Scaling
82+
Transforming
Industry benchmarking
Compare against UK SME average
We compare your score to indicative UK SME planning reference points drawn from the typical spread we see across assessments. Where available, we also show sector-specific benchmarks for healthcare, construction, professional services, retail, hospitality and manufacturing. These are planning reference points, not a statistical survey.
Your report also shows a top-quartile target line so you can see what strong performance looks like in your sector.
Update frequency
Re-run when your business changes
Your assessment is a snapshot. We recommend re-running it quarterly, or whenever you make a significant change — such as adopting a new tool, restructuring a team, or updating your data and governance policies. Pro subscribers can track their score history over time; free users can always take a new assessment to see their latest position.
Benchmark reference points are reviewed periodically as more assessment data becomes available, and the question set is updated to keep pace with AI tooling and regulation.
Compare
Readiness vs other AI readiness tools
Most AI readiness assessments are built for enterprise procurement. See how Readiness compares for small businesses that need speed, clarity and action.
Compare how Readiness stacks up against well-known AI readiness and AI maturity assessment tools. We focus on what a small business actually needs: a fast, free score and a plan you can act on.
How we compare
Scoring is based on publicly available information about each tool. We err on the side of caution — if a capability is only available behind a sales call or enterprise contract, we mark it as partial or no.
| Criterion | ReadinessYou | Microsoft AI Readiness Assessment | Cisco AI Readiness Index | Gartner AI Maturity Model | PwC AI Maturity Assessment | Typical AI consultancy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tagline | Built for 1–500 person SMEs | Cloud and Copilot readiness | Infrastructure and network lens | Research-backed maturity framework | Consultant-led diagnostic | Custom discovery and roadmap |
| Free first assessmentCan you get a score without paying or talking to sales? | Readiness: Free first assessment: yes | Microsoft AI Readiness Assessment: Free first assessment: yes | Cisco AI Readiness Index: Free first assessment: yes | Gartner AI Maturity Model: Free first assessment: no | PwC AI Maturity Assessment: Free first assessment: no | Typical AI consultancy: Free first assessment: no |
| Built for SMEsIs the tool designed for 1–500 person businesses, not just enterprises? | Readiness: Built for SMEs: yes | Microsoft AI Readiness Assessment: Built for SMEs: no | Cisco AI Readiness Index: Built for SMEs: no | Gartner AI Maturity Model: Built for SMEs: no | PwC AI Maturity Assessment: Built for SMEs: no | Typical AI consultancy: Built for SMEs: no |
| Industry-specific scoringDoes it benchmark against your sector? | Readiness: Industry-specific scoring: yes | Microsoft AI Readiness Assessment: Industry-specific scoring: partially | Cisco AI Readiness Index: Industry-specific scoring: no | Gartner AI Maturity Model: Industry-specific scoring: partially | PwC AI Maturity Assessment: Industry-specific scoring: yes | Typical AI consultancy: Industry-specific scoring: yes |
| Actionable roadmapDo you leave with sequenced next steps, not just a score? | Readiness: Actionable roadmap: yes | Microsoft AI Readiness Assessment: Actionable roadmap: partially | Cisco AI Readiness Index: Actionable roadmap: partially | Gartner AI Maturity Model: Actionable roadmap: partially | PwC AI Maturity Assessment: Actionable roadmap: yes | Typical AI consultancy: Actionable roadmap: yes |
| Built-in ROI calculatorCan you model savings and payback inside the tool? | Readiness: Built-in ROI calculator: yes | Microsoft AI Readiness Assessment: Built-in ROI calculator: partially | Cisco AI Readiness Index: Built-in ROI calculator: partially | Gartner AI Maturity Model: Built-in ROI calculator: no | PwC AI Maturity Assessment: Built-in ROI calculator: yes | Typical AI consultancy: Built-in ROI calculator: yes |
| Matched tool recommendationsDoes it suggest practical software for your gaps? | Readiness: Matched tool recommendations: yes | Microsoft AI Readiness Assessment: Matched tool recommendations: partially | Cisco AI Readiness Index: Matched tool recommendations: partially | Gartner AI Maturity Model: Matched tool recommendations: no | PwC AI Maturity Assessment: Matched tool recommendations: yes | Typical AI consultancy: Matched tool recommendations: yes |
| Downloadable PDF reportCan you download a branded report to share? | Readiness: Downloadable PDF report: yes | Microsoft AI Readiness Assessment: Downloadable PDF report: no | Cisco AI Readiness Index: Downloadable PDF report: no | Gartner AI Maturity Model: Downloadable PDF report: yes | PwC AI Maturity Assessment: Downloadable PDF report: yes | Typical AI consultancy: Downloadable PDF report: yes |
| Transparent pricingAre prices published before you sign up? | Readiness: Transparent pricing: yes | Microsoft AI Readiness Assessment: Transparent pricing: yes | Cisco AI Readiness Index: Transparent pricing: no | Gartner AI Maturity Model: Transparent pricing: no | PwC AI Maturity Assessment: Transparent pricing: no | Typical AI consultancy: Transparent pricing: no |
| No sales call requiredCan you buy and use without a demo or procurement cycle? | Readiness: No sales call required: yes | Microsoft AI Readiness Assessment: No sales call required: yes | Cisco AI Readiness Index: No sales call required: yes | Gartner AI Maturity Model: No sales call required: no | PwC AI Maturity Assessment: No sales call required: no | Typical AI consultancy: No sales call required: no |
| Re-assessments & progress trackingCan you re-run the assessment and track improvement? | Readiness: Re-assessments & progress tracking: yes | Microsoft AI Readiness Assessment: Re-assessments & progress tracking: yes | Cisco AI Readiness Index: Re-assessments & progress tracking: partially | Gartner AI Maturity Model: Re-assessments & progress tracking: partially | PwC AI Maturity Assessment: Re-assessments & progress tracking: yes | Typical AI consultancy: Re-assessments & progress tracking: yes |
| Best for | Small businesses that want a score and a plan today | Large Microsoft-centric enterprises | Enterprise IT and networking teams | Enterprise strategy and CIO advisory | Large organisations wanting bespoke advisory | Enterprises with budget for bespoke work |
Microsoft AI Readiness Assessment
Cloud and Copilot readiness
4/10 criteria fully met
Large Microsoft-centric enterprises
Cisco AI Readiness Index
Infrastructure and network lens
2/10 criteria fully met
Enterprise IT and networking teams
Gartner AI Maturity Model
Research-backed maturity framework
1/10 criteria fully met
Enterprise strategy and CIO advisory
PwC AI Maturity Assessment
Consultant-led diagnostic
6/10 criteria fully met
Large organisations wanting bespoke advisory
Typical AI consultancy
Custom discovery and roadmap
6/10 criteria fully met
Enterprises with budget for bespoke work
Why SMEs
Why SMEs need AI readiness
Most small businesses adopt AI reactively. A readiness score turns guesswork into a plan you can share, fund and execute.
Why readiness matters
AI adoption is risky when it is reactive
Small and mid-sized businesses often adopt AI because a competitor mentioned a tool, a vendor ran a demo, or a team member found a free app. Without a clear view of readiness, those pilots stall, leak data, or fail to show return.
A structured AI readiness assessment gives you the same clarity large enterprises pay consultancies for — but built for the speed, budget and reality of a 1–500 person business.
Most AI pilots stall on the foundations
Tools get bought before data, processes and governance are ready. A readiness score exposes those gaps before budget is spent.
SMEs do not have time to waste
You need a plan you can act on this quarter, not a 60-slide strategy deck. The assessment turns answers into a sequenced roadmap in minutes.
See where AI will actually save money
The built-in ROI calculator models real hours, people and tool costs so you can justify spend with numbers, not hype.
Governance before shadow AI spreads
Unchecked AI use creates data and reputation risk. Readiness gives you a policy framework and review steps sized for a small business.
A board-ready plan in one afternoon
Your score, benchmark, tool shortlist and roadmap come together in a PDF you can share with leadership, investors or advisers.
Pricing and Plans
Free score, paid depth
Getting your score costs nothing. Pay once for the full report, or subscribe if you're tracking progress across the year.
Free
£0forever
The assessment, your score and where your gaps are.
- —30-question assessment across six dimensions
- —Overall score and maturity level
- —Dimension breakdown and priority gaps
- —Two-page PDF preview
- —ROI calculator
Full report
£49one-off
Everything behind your score, as a branded PDF you can hand to your board.
- —Executive summary and dimension scores
- —Benchmark comparison against your sector
- —ROI model and up to nine matched tools
- —90-day roadmap, governance and quick wins
- —Yours to keep — no subscription
Pro
£39per month
For businesses re-assessing as they roll AI out.
- —Every report unlocked, every assessment
- —Unlimited re-assessments and score history
- —Full tool catalogue and roadmap access
- —Saved ROI scenarios
- —Cancel any time, access to period end
Need help? Implementation packages run from £500 to £2,500 and appear inside your account after you get a score.
Contact
Questions? Get in touch
Whether you need help with your assessment, want to discuss implementation packages, or have a partnership enquiry, we'd love to hear from you.
info@aireadinesss.comFree resources
Take something useful away today
Free download
The one-page AI readiness cheat sheet
A printable single page you can take into your next management meeting: what we score, where the average UK SME sits, the first six moves, and the mistakes that waste money.
- The six dimensions with UK SME benchmark scores
- Your first six moves, in order
- Red flags to fix this quarter
Free insights
The AI maturity insights report
Every quarter we publish what we're seeing across UK SME assessments — average scores by sector, where businesses stall, and the moves that actually shift the numbers. Join the list and we'll send the next one.
- Quarterly UK SME AI maturity insights report
- New sector benchmarks as we publish them
- Short, practical plays — no vendor spam
Your first assessment is free
Create an account, answer thirty questions in about ten minutes, and get your maturity score immediately.
Get your free score